Howard County commissioners on Aug. 4 approved buying a new security x‑ray scanner for the courthouse entry after a power surge damaged the existing unit. Project manager Pam Isaac told the board the county received a quote for $29,488.04 and recommended purchasing a new machine rather than repairing the older, costly unit.

The purchase will be paid from the commissioners’ equipment line item, Isaac said. She also said Todd and Deputy Kramer reviewed the procurement and that the vendor offered an optional artificial‑intelligence upgrade for an additional $5,000; the county can trade in the old equipment to offset the cost. Isaac said staff had been conducting hand searches at the courthouse entrance while the issue was pending.

Commissioners moved, seconded and voted in favor of the purchase during the meeting; the motion carried with an affirmative voice vote. No further details about vendor name, trade‑in value or delivery timeline were provided during the meeting.

Why it matters: The courthouse entry screening is a daily security function; commissioners authorized the replacement immediately after staff presented the quote and recommended purchase. The board recorded the decision as a formal approval and directed staff to sign the quote so the unit can be ordered.

Context and next steps: Isaac said repair estimates were nearly as costly as replacement, which drove the recommendation to replace. Commissioners did not discuss a formal procurement waiver or request additional vendor comparisons on the record. The transcript records the vote as an approval; staff will complete the procurement paperwork and ordering process.